Pollen season
Tree pollen - late March to mid-MayGrass pollen - mid-May to JulyWeed pollen - end of June to September

In grass pollen season, pollen counts are highest in the first half of the morning and from c4pm to late evening (sometimes all night). In tree pollen season, pollen counts are highest in daylight hours.

Minimise your symptoms - the pharmaceutical options are antihistamines, eye drops and nasal sprays. Chop and change until you find the combination that works for you, as everyone reacts differently.

Mumsnetters suggest the following hay fever remedies

Try a 24-hour tablet taken at night - it will be at its peak as pollen rises in the morning. HeyMicky

Always take your shoes off at your front door to save trailing pollen throughout your house. Undress in the bathroom not the bedroom as pollen clings to clothes. Dust with a damp cloth. ukey

Wear sunglasses or glasses when outside if possible. Don't dry your washing outside. Keep windows shut from about 5pm-7pm (basically as it gets dark and cools down pollen falls back to earth). Wash your hair and change your clothes when you get home if you can. Vaseline up the nose traps pollen before it gets into your system GiddyPickle

The Vaseline thing really does work - it's the single most effective thing I do. HeyMicky

Chlorphenamine has been around the longest and they have vast amounts of data going back 50 years or so showing it is safe during pregancy. NoWayNoHow

The thing I swear by is the Medinose. Basically it works by inserting two probes into the nostrils and switching on for about five minutes. The probes emit a red light at a frequency that desensitises the nose to help it not react to the pollen. mumat39

I used the electric rods up the nose jobby. They work a TREAT. LadyOfTheManor

When I was pregnant I used an allergy light. It uses light therapy to help you stop the amount of histamine produced. bobster64

A balm called Haymax that you rub onto the nostrils is supposed to stop pollen getting into your nose. mumat39

Natural Bee Pollen! Taken daily it will stop hay fever symptoms and give you an energy boost. Our family swear by it. katebcooper

I find drinking rosehip tea (very high in vitamin C) really works when I'm having a bad hay fever day. butterfingerz

Cover your bed with a spare sheet, especially the pillows. A lot of pollen lands on bedlinen during the day, especially if you have the windows open. I do this every morning, with a clean sheet every day. It made my hay fever much better during the night. R2PeePoo

Stuff that works for sinusitis can help to relieve hay fever congestion.

Get thee to eBay for a neti pot. Bucharest

Look up NeilMed sinus rinse on YouTube - I had tried literally everything else but this was a revelation. bubble2bubble

One of the inflammatory mediators causing hay fever are Leukotrienes, a bit like histamine. They can be blocked with a drug called Singulair, or Montelukast to give it its real name. Ask your GP to prescribe it, it may well revolutionise your life and your future summers. Start early, so maybe a month before you get symptoms, as once your system is 'primed' by inflammatory mediators, it's very hard to dampen them down. DystopianReality

Hay fever while you're pregnant or breastfeeding

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you'll need to check with your GP or midwife before you take over-the-counter remedies or relievers.

NHS Choices says loratadine, chlorphenamine and ceterizine are considered the safest antihistamines to use during pregnancy, but always check with your doctor before taking oral antihistamines. Eye drops and nasal sprays should be used with caution.

Most antihistamines will pass into your breastmilk, as will minute quantities of nasal sprays. Some lucky women find their hay fever symptoms decline or vanish when they're pregnant.

If your children are teeny, again you're going to need to involve your GP because some antihistamines aren't suitable for children under two. As always, it's best to check first.